Stopper-retainer.



No. 721,.4m S PATENTED FEB. 24, 1903.

A, TATUMS STOPPER RETAINER, APPLICATION FILED OWE-.29, 1902.

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NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES A. TATUM, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO WHITALL TATUM COMPANY,OF NEW YORK, N.' Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

STOPPER-RETAINER.

SPECIFiCATION forming part of Letters lfatent No. 721,477, datedFebruary 24, 1903. Application filed October 29, 1902. Serial No.129,189. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: 1

Be it known that I, CHARLES A. TATUM, a citizen of the United States,residing in the borough of Manhattan, city, county, and State of NewYork, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inStopper-Retainers,

of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to stopper-retainersthat is, to devicesfonpreventin g the accidental separation of a stopper from the bottle orother receptacle in connection with which the stopper is used.

The object of mypresent invention is to provide a stopper-retainerparticularly adapted for use in conjunction with hot-water bottles madeof soft material, such as rubber, the improved stopper-retainer being soconstructed that it will not be liable to injure the hot-water bottleand that 'it may be readily removed from the bottle when desired, whilean unintentional separation of the stopper from the bottle is prevented.

The accompanying drawings illustrate twoforms or examples of myinvention,'which will now be described in detail, and the novel featuresof the improvement will then be pointed out in the appended claims.

Figure 1 is an elevation of part of a hotwater bottle with my improvedstopper-retainer applied thereto, the bottle being shown in section.Fig. 2 is a face view of the retainer proper. Fig. 3 is an edge viewthereof. Fig. 4 is an elevation similar to Fig. 1, show ing another formof my invention; and Fig. 5 is a cross-section on line 5 5 of Fig. 4.

The hot-water bottle shown in Figs. 1 and 4 has a flaring mouth A, atthe inner portion of which is located a bushing B, having aninwardly-projected flange B at the bottom. This flange forms a seat forthe washer O", arranged at the lower end of the stopper 0, which screwsinto the said bushing B. To the inner end of the stopper is secured, soas to normally extend into the bottle, a connecting member D, preferablyflexible, a chain being usually employed, as shown. To the lower orinner end of this connecting member is attached the retainer proper. Sofar the two constructions shown in the drawings are identical.-

In the form of my invention illustrated by Figs. 1, 2, and 3 theretainer proper consists of an endless ring F, preferably fiat, thisring being made of a soft elastic material, such as soft rubber. Thediameter of the ring in its normal circular form, as shown, is largerthan that ofthe opening surrounded by the flange B.- Thus an accidentalentire separation of the stopper from the bottle is prevented, since theringF cannot pass through the opening at the bottom of the bushing Bunless a strong upward pull is intentionally exerted on the connectingmember D. In this case the ring Fwill be deformed into an elongatedsubstantially elliptical shape, and will thus be forced or squeezedthrough the bushing B.

To insert the retainer-ring F into the bottle, 7

it is sufficient to push it in by means of a rod or tool applied againstthe lower ring portion. The attachment of the ring'F to the chain orother connecting member D may be made by means of an eye or hook E,which is engaged with the chain and which also forms a clamp embracingand holding the retainer ring. Making the ring of soft material not onlyfacilitates its passage through the bushing B, but presents the furtheradvantage that such a ring will not injure the bottle by contact withit, as a ring made of hard material is liable to do. It will beunderstood that the ring which forms the retainer is not permanentlydeformed by inserting it into the bottle. Neither is it permanentlydeformed when it is removed from the bottle bya strong pull. Theretainer therefore always remains in a serviceable condition. It istherefore an important feature of myinvention that the ring shouldconsist of a material which is sufficiently rigid to prevent anaccidental withdrawal of the retainer from the bottle, yet elasticenough to admit of the insertion and also of the withdrawal of theretainer without Withdraw such a ring by exerting an upward pull, onaccount of the great resistance, which it would oppose to such movement.When, however, a pliable retainer is employed, as in my invention, greatadvantages are secured as to the facility of inserting, and removing theretainer, as will be obvious. Furthermore, a retainer made of stifi andhard material will always be liable to injure the soft rubber of whichthe bottle consists, while a soft retainer, such as is used by me,avoids this defect.

In the construction represented in Figs. 4 and 5 the retainer proper ismade of a piece of soft-rubber tubing F, which is attached to the end ofthe chain D by means of an eye or clamp E of the same character as theclamp E of Fig. 1. This piece of rubber tubing has two free ends insteadof forming a ring; but, like the ring F of Figs. 1, 2, and 3, it extendsso far to each side of the chain D that the retainer cannot pass throughthe bushing B unless it is forced therethroughthat is to say, the lengthof the retainer F is greater than the diameter of the opening in thebushing, or, in other Words, the radius of said opening is smaller thanthe distance to which the retainer extends laterally from the chain orconnecting member D. The advantages of this second construction are thesame as those set forth with reference to Figs. 1, 2, and 3.

Various modifications may be made without departing from the nature ofmy invention.

I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. The combination with areceptacle having an opening, of a stopper, a connecting memberextending from the stopper into the receptacle, and a stopper-retainermade of pliable elastic material and secured to the inner end of saidconnecting member, and extending therefrom laterally a distance greaterthan the radius of said opening, to prevent the accidental withdrawal ofthe retainer, and the accidental separation of the stopper from thereceptacle.

2. The combination with a receptacle having an opening, of a stopper, astopper-retainer made of pliable elastic material and exceeding the sizeof said opening, and a member connecting said retainer with the stopper.

3. A stopper having a connecting member attached thereto, and astopper-retainer made of a soft elastic material and secured to the freeportion of the connecting member.

4. A stopper having a connecting member attached thereto, a clampsecured to the free portion of said member, and a stopper-retainer heldby said clamp and made of pliable elastic material.

5. A stopper having a connecting member attached thereto, and astopper-retainer consisting of a ring of pliable elastic materialsecured to the free portion of said connecting member.

6. The combination of a stopper, a connecting member attached thereto, aclamp secured to the free portion of said member, a stopperretainer heldby said clamp and made of pliable elastic material, and projectinglaterally from the said clamp, and a receptacle having an opening forthe passage of the retainer and connecting member, the radius of saidopening being smaller than the distance to which the retainer projectslaterally from the clamp.

7. The combination of a stopper, a connecting member attached thereto,an endless pliable elastic ring secured to the free portion of saidconnecting member,and a receptacle provided with an opening for thepassage of said ring and connecting member, the diameter of said openingbeing smaller than that of the ring.

8. The combination with a receptacle having an opening, of a stopper,and a stopperretainer exceeding the size of said opening, saidstopper-retainer being made in the shape of an endless ring and of apliable elastic ma terial, so that it may be readily pushed into thereceptacle and also removed therefrom when desired, Without becomingpermanently deformed.

CHARLES A. TATUM.

WVitnesses:

W. A. HARPER, T. M. MANMON.

